Homeless Advocates Attempt to Arrest Bruce Ratner this Wednesday at Noon

Singer Crystal Waters, Councilmember Letitia James, Develop Don't Destroy founder Daniel Goldstein and Senator Velmanette Montgomery at Freddy's last week. (Click here for FIB's coverage on that.)

The fight continues to keep the Pacific Dean family shelter (located in the footprint of the Atlantic Yards) open with a community groups, homeless advocates and political leaders going directly to Bruce Ratner's office on Wednesday at noon.

All are welcome to participate.

Excerpts from the official press release.

Subject: Homeless Family Advocates to Arrest Atlantic Yards/Barclays Center Developer Bruce Ratner. Will Bring Ratner to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's Office for Indictment on Bribery Charges, Coumo Will Also Be Asked to Return All Campaign Contributions From Ratner and Indict By Friday, January 29th.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What: Homeless Family Advocates to Arrest Atlantic Yards/Barclays Center Developer Bruce Ratner. Will Bring Ratner to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's Office for Indictment on Bribery Charges, Coumo Will Also Be Asked to Return All Campaign Contributions From Ratner and Indict By Friday, January 29th.

When: Wednesday, January 27th 12:00 Noon, 2nd location at 1PM Where: Forest City Ratner Headquarters, 1 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, NY

Who: Homeless Family Advocates as detailed in copy

"A number of community groups, homeless advocates and political leaders will go to Bruce Ratner's office on Wednesday, January 27th at high noon to perform a citizen's arrest of Mr. Ratner. While we would rather arrest Ratner for the moral crime of closing a desperately needed family homeless shelter on Martin Luther King's birthday, and during Haiti relief efforts, we will instead be arresting him to stand charges of bribing a public official in the State of New York, where such activity is against the law. Our aim is to get the Pacific Dean Family Homeless Shelter re-opened until Spring. To this end we intend to see Ratner charged before this coming Friday's hearing that could give Ratner control of the facility, which he plans to tear down to make a parking lot for the Barclays Center stadium. This is possible because of a loophole created in New York State's eminent domain law by the Supreme Court's Kelo Case that allows states to take property from one person and give it to another. 43 states have changed their laws to prevent person-to-person transfer by the state, which is a type of eminent domain employed by the Soviet Union and wartime Germany, and which was illegal in the U.S. until 2005. We believe it is important that Judge Gerges, the man who will make the decision whether or not Ratner gets the shelter and the neighborhood, know what kind of heartless and shady person he is dealing with. The lack of an indictment by Attorney General Cuomo will have a clear influence on Friday's hearing, and it must be corrected. Nobody is going to physically abduct Mr. Ratner. We are informing him that we expect him to surrender to a police officer, in our presence, and go with us to be charged by Attorney General Cuomo. We will also be asking the Attorney General, who is now running for Governor, to give back the campaign contributions he has received from Ratner so that there is no appearance of impropriety associated with the delay in bringing an indictment. Should Ratner elude us we will request that a warrant be issued immediately for his arrest, and that he be extradited from any place in the world that he may choose to run to. "

Freddy's "Toast to George Will" Recap *and* F.I.B's 600th Post!

F.I.B attended the toast to George Will at Freddy's Sunday afternoon. Patron turnout was high in support for the boycott on Barclay's Bank and the belief that Bruce Ratner may end up behind bars for his involvement in a development project in Yonkers where bribery played a role. Click here to read coverage on that in the New York Observer.

Go to Eminent Domain Revolt to see lots of video coverage Sunday's event at Freddy's.

Also! Bar Manager Donald O'Finn and film maker Steve DeSeve will appear on Fox TV tomorrow morning (Monday)to let the world know about this land grab(amongst others) that should be made illegal. The duo will appear on Fox & Friends between 7 and 10 am. Strange times when a conservative writer such as George Will and a conservative television station such as Fox are taking an interest in our fair borough. (and why shouldn't they?)

Freddy's Bar Responds to the ESDC's Threat of Physical Force on Patrons by Toasting George Will this Sunday at 2pm!

*ESDC stands for Empire State Development Corporation.

Bruce Ratner is already forcing a homeless shelter that houses 88 families out because the owner does not want to sell his building. They have to be out by January 15th so he can store his construction vehicles at that site, even though he has no plans to build for a few years. Click here to read the story and see how you can help.

Soooooooooooooo.........

Freddy's Bar is retaliating by attempting to start a boycott of Barclays Bank starting on Sunday. The staff and the patrons of Freddy's even got The Washington Post's attention! George Will wrote an angry column comparing the loss of a Brooklyn neighborhood liberties to the Battle of Brooklyn during the revolutionary war. Like the revolutionary war, Freddy's has declared a war on the British. No not the whole country silly! Just the British owned Barclay's Bank who is involved in this boondoggle. Click here for all the details and links you need.

Here is an excerpt from the extremely detailed press release sent to me by Eminent Domain Revolt:

"Eminent Domain Revolt has been declared in our neighborhood and we are overthrowing the rule of the Real Estate Royalty who keep outdated laws on the books and use the government to do their bidding. We are up against a real estate company that is the second biggest political donor and lobbyist spending force in the state. The law must be changed. Period."

Please come to Freddy's on Sunday at 2pm to toast George Will and drink in solidarity with Eminent Domain Revolt! Handcuffs will be on hand should a situation arises where handcuffing to the chain of justice is in order.

Click here for the details and please pass the word on!

When: Sunday, January 10, 2pm.

Where: Freddy’s Bar & Backroom
485 Dean Street (corner of 6Th Ave), Brooklyn, NY

P.S- The champagne toast is on the house.

The "Fightin' Freddy's" Declare Eminent Domain Smackdowns!

Freddy's is not going down without a fight!

F.I.B passed by Freddy's as a 9 foot guillotine constructed of Pabst Blue Ribbon cans symbolically decapitated Eminent Domain in a suit. Manager Donald O'Finn spoke as did the grim reaper who questioned the cold war and called Bruce Ratner a "traitor to the country" by collaborating with one of the richest men in Russia to "take Americans from their homes". A dapper Gangs of New York style Undertaker declared "bar vs. banks" smackdowns coming to a "corner near you" before the decapitation.


Stay tuned for smackdown schedules

Egyptian Mermaid

Found on Vanderbilt Avenue after the West Indian Parade last weekend.

*Sorry for the blurriness, this camera is shot after only 3 months, I hope to resolve this soon.